We hadn’t intended to stay in Oruro more than overnight, but our train turned out to be leaving a day later than we expected. Here are some photos from Oruro.
In Oruro we took a tour of a mine, which was located right next to the church of the Virgen del Socavón (Virgin of the Mine). Yoli is standing by a train which we found in the courtyard next to the exit from the mine.
Just below the courtyard of the church is the Plaza del Folklore. Every year at Carnaval, Oruro’s huge procession normally ends here (The Carnaval celebration in Oruro is probably the biggest in South America). But on this day, lots of folks had gathered to protest something. This was around the same time that campesinos set up blockades throughout El Alto to force the government to drop El Alto’s water company, and also the same time that bus drivers in Santa Cruz were on strike protesting the government’s hike of diesel prices.
A true Mac dealer in the heart of Oruro!